Scottish Executive

Boundaries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Boundary Commission for Scotland that, if the boundaries of the constituency of Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber are altered, the new constituency name should be "Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey" and not "Inverness and Badenoch".

Mr Andy Kerr: This is a reserved matter and as the Scottish Executive does not have a statutory role, it does not intend to make any representations.

Bridges

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what revenues were received from tolls charged on the Forth Road Bridge in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001.

Lewis Macdonald: The revenues received from the northbound toll on the Forth Road Bridge are:

  


1997-98 
  

£ 8, 823, 373 
  



1998-99 
  

£ 8, 659, 142 
  



1999-2000 
  

£ 9, 054, 918 
  



2000-01 
  

£ 9, 150, 848 
  



2001-02 
  

£ 9, 293, 592

Bridges

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current projections are for volumes of traffic using the Forth Road Bridge in each of the next 10 years.

Lewis Macdonald: On the basis of projected growth of 3.5% per year over March 2001 traffic levels, projections for northbound traffic using the Forth Road Bridge are:

  


2002-03 
  

11, 835, 000 
  



2003-04 
  

12, 250, 000 
  



2004-05 
  

12, 680, 000 
  



2005-06 
  

13, 125, 000 
  



2006-07 
  

13, 585, 000 
  



2007-08 
  

14, 060, 000 
  



2008-09 
  

14, 550, 000 
  



2009-10 
  

15, 060, 000 
  



2010-11 
  

15, 585, 000 
  



2011-12 
  

16, 135, 000

Bridges

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Creagan Road Bridge was commissioned and on what date the bridge was completed.

Lewis Macdonald: The works were commissioned to start on 20 April 1998. On completion the bridge opened to traffic on 21 June 1999.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SE5439/2002, when the process of recruiting more prosecutors for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will begin and when it expects these prosecutors to take up their duties.

Colin Boyd QC: A Depute Procurator Fiscal recruitment exercise is currently under way. The closing date for applications was 15 March 2002. Interviews will be held in April. Successful applicants are expected to take up post from June onwards. Sixteen trainee solicitors will take up post in August 2002 and recruitment will commence in October for trainees to take up post in 2003.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the circular documents or any other mailings intended for distribution to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools that it has issued in each of the last three years and how many pages each such mailing contained.

Nicol Stephen: The detailed information requested is not held by the Scottish Executive.

Electricity

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation schemes are currently available or planned for residents of the Abronhill area of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency affected by the four power outages in January 2002 and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Lewis Macdonald: All matters pertaining to electricity supply are reserved. Any question of compensation in the event of an electricity supply failure would be a matter for discussion between Scottish Power and the industry regulator, Ofgem.

Electricity

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what community services were affected by the four power outages in the Abronhill area of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency during January 2002; what information it has received about the causes of each outage, and what action it has undertaken, or will undertake, in order to ensure that any such services are not affected in the future.

Lewis Macdonald: Regulation of the electricity supply industry is a reserved matter, and is the responsibility of the industry regulator, Ofgem. We understand that the supply interruptions in question were the result of two unrelated intermittent faults on the cable that supplies the Abronhill area, surrounding the Almond Drive Substation. Scottish Power have now permanently repaired all of the faults and carried out full tests on the distribution cable.

Electricity

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation is available to providers and users of community services affected by the four power outages in the Abronhill area of the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency during January 2002; where information on any such compensation schemes is available, and what assistance it can provide to the users and providers of any community service affected by the outages.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-23313 and S1W-23757 today.

Enterprise

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial grant or loan assistance "The Big Idea" in Irvine has received since it opened in 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive has awarded a grant of up to £410,000 over 2001-02 and 2002-03 to The Big Idea. As part of this package of support the Millennium Commission has awarded a further £300,000 to The Big Idea.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22493 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 February 2002, whether the percentage of EU Council of Ministers meetings attended refers to the proportion of the total of all formal and informal meetings of the EU Council of Ministers.

Mr Jim Wallace: Since the figure for councils attended by Scottish ministers, given in answer to question S1W-22493, included two informal meetings of EU Ministers, the percentage given should have referred to the proportion of the total of all formal meetings of the EU Council of Ministers and informal meetings of EU Ministers. However, due to an administrative error a figure for the total number of formal meetings only was used.

  The proportion of formal meetings of the EU Council of Ministers attended by Scottish ministers between 1 March 2000 and 28 February 2002 is 11.4%.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts have been made to secure the location of new European Union agencies in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the location of new European Agencies.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many people are employed at the (a) headquarters and (b) other offices of each European Union agency based in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information on agencies of European Union is given at:

  www.europa.eu.int.

  There are no EU agencies based in Scotland.

European Union

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-23479 and S1W-22767 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 March 2002, how it intends to encourage contributions from the Parliament’s European Committee and the Parliament in advance of Her Majesty’s Government contributing to meetings of the EU Council of Ministers.

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-23479 and S1W-22767 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 March 2002 regarding the confidentiality of discussions between it and Her Majesty’s Government, how it plans to advance transparency in relation to such matters.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have undertaken to work with the European Committee to develop improved arrangements for the provision of information regarding the Executive’s contacts with the UK Government on EU issues, while respecting the need for confidentiality where this applies. I am confident these arrangements will increase the committee’s ability to contribute to discussions on current EU issues.

Family Fund Trust

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered funding the Family Fund Trust in order to facilitate disabled children taking holidays and what conclusions it has reached.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive provides over £2 million per year in funding to the Family Fund Trust to provide a range of support, including holidays, to families with severely disabled children.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently prescribed methadone on a regular basis.

Dr Richard Simpson: Information on the number of people in Scotland currently prescribed methadone on a regular basis is not held centrally. However we are working with ISD Scotland to see how the information can be extrapolated from prescription data.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or plans to make, to Her Majesty’s Government on the effect on the NHS in Scotland of the proposed adoption of the EU health card which will allow people to access urgently needed medical treatment at the point of delivery free of charge and which will contain data allowing foreign hospitals and doctors to bill the NHS directly.

Malcolm Chisholm: The proposals are at an early stage and are a refinement of the current, long standing E111 arrangements applicable across the EU. The proposals will not give rise to new entitlements and the Scottish Executive will be formally consulted at all stages.

Higher Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the report of the University Registrar’s meeting held at Stirling University on 1 March 2002, which concluded that the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) is not able to "separately identify awards made to Scottish students. They do not collect information on nationality as part of the application process. Therefore it will not be possible to prove whether £1.4 million transferred from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland to the AHRB is ultimately spent on Scottish students" and whether the transfer of postgraduate studentships in the humanities from a Scottish to a UK agency represents an accountable use of taxpayer’s money.

Ms Wendy Alexander: It is not normal practice for the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to record the nationality of postgraduate students, as nationality is not used as a criterion in determining eligibility for student support. Under the previous arrangements, whether or not a particular student fell to be dealt with by SAAS or the AHRB was determined by residency. The AHRB currently monitors and will continue to monitor the residency of postgraduate students. It will therefore remain possible to identify those students receiving awards from the AHRB who would previously have fallen within the remit of SAAS.

Housing

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be taken to direct new job opportunities towards those currently unemployed in Glasgow should there be a yes vote in the Glasgow housing stock transfer ballot.

Ms Margaret Curran: If tenants vote yes in the Glasgow housing stock transfer ballot unemployed people in Glasgow will have access to various training programmes which will enable them to take advantage of the many new job opportunities which will be created.

  The Glasgow Housing Association is working in collaboration with Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow colleges and others to develop a range of training to suit people with different needs. Those with little previous work experience will first have access to basic skills training before progressing to further skills training and into employment.

Joint Ministerial Committee

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what issues were discussed at the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on 7 March 2002, who attended the meeting and what the outcome was.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-4899 on 21 March 2002. I attended the meeting on behalf of the Scottish Executive; the meeting was chaired by the Foreign Secretary, and was also attended by other ministers and officials from the UK Government and the other devolved administrations.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the full report on the cost of upgrading Peebles sheriff court will be made available and what factors, other than the cost of upgrading, will be taken into account in regard to the future of the court.

Mr Jim Wallace: The report by consultants is currently being evaluated by the Scottish Court Service. In addition to the cost of repair and upgrading, consideration will be given to the level of business transacted at the court and the impact on court users will be taken into account in determining the most effective means to provide court services in the local area.

Justice

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any benefit could be gained from the introduction of a formal police caution system for those juveniles and adults who are willing to accept full responsibility for their actions, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Mr Jim Wallace: Alternatives to prosecution and non-court disposals are being considered as part of a Review of Summary Justice, being taken forward by a committee chaired by Sheriff Principal McInnes. The Executive wishes to have the benefit of that committee’s recommendations and report, before taking a position on any possible changes.

Licensing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given in the review of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to changes in the law relating to the consumption of alcohol on licensed premises.

Mr Jim Wallace: None. A separate review of Scottish liquor licensing law is being conducted at present by an independent committee representing relevant interests, under the chairmanship of Sheriff Principal Gordon Nicholson. It is expected the committee will report early in the New Year.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many circulars, guidelines and guidance notes it has issued to local authorities in each of the last three years.

Peter Peacock: This information requested is not collated centrally by the Scottish Executive and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. A significant amount of information is however issued by the Scottish Executive to local authorities. In an effort to reduce the burden this places on local authorities, guidance is in place to ensure that all communications detail the action required, the priority attached to the communication and where possible, suggestions of whom within the authority should be made aware of it.

Local Government Finance

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each grant paid to (a) Aberdeenshire Council, (b) Aberdeen City Council and (c) Dundee City Council within aggregate external finance, broken down for each year since 1997-98.

Peter Peacock: Finance Circulars for each year since 1997-98, detailing all the grants within Aggregate External Finance (AEF) paid to local authorities, are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Finance Circulars and respective Bib. numbers are listed).

  


Finance Circular 
  

Title 
  

Bib. No. 
  



31/1996 
  

1997-98 Aggregate External Finance Distribution Proposals 
  

20051 
  



20/1997 
  

1998-99 Aggregate External Finance Distribution Proposals 
  

20052 
  



19/1998 
  

1999-00 Local Government Finance Settlement 
  

20053 
  



9/1999 
  

2000-01 Local Government Finance Settlement 
  

8310 
  



13/2000 
  

Local Government Finance Settlement: 2001-02, 2002-03, 
  2003-04 
  

20054 
  



8/2001 
  

Local Government Finance Settlement: 2002-03, 2003-04 
  

17961

Lord Lyon

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to press reports on 10 March 2002 that the Lord Lyon may pursue claims against schools whose badges have a heraldic content which has not been matriculated or registered with the Lord Lyon.

Mr Jim Wallace: I understand that the Sunday Herald have accepted that their report of this matter was inaccurate and they agreed to publish a letter from the Court of the Lord Lyon in a subsequent edition. I understand, too, that the Lord Lyon has written to you to explain the background. I have no further comment to offer on matters which are for the independent Lyon Court to consider.

Medical Training

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) current and (b) planned future number is of training places for clinical and forensic psychologists.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently 32 training places per year for Clinical Psychology in Scotland. This will be increased to 36 from October 2002.

  There are currently 24 students accepted each year for the first stage of Forensic Psychology training in Scotland, which is a two-year course. Following this, in order to become chartered Forensic Psychologists, candidates must undertake a further year’s training.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is in place in respect of its mental health framework.

Malcolm Chisholm: Effective implementation of the Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland  is key to our ambition for a modern, responsive mental health service. The Mental Health and Well Being Support Group was established specifically to work with all the agencies on this objective and to monitor and report on the progress made. Area outcome reports are published within four weeks of each visit and are available on the Support Group's website at:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/mhwbsg/.

  This activity reinforces the work of the Scottish Health Advisory Service, which actively reviews and reports on progress at NHS board level in delivering care and support for priority care groups, including mental health. Aspects of the performance of NHS bodies in delivering mental health services is also monitored through the new Performance Assessment Framework. Any significant problems highlighted will be discussed between the department and the NHS board at the annual accountability review. Agreed action will be set out in the accountability review summary letter, which will be published.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average lengths of waiting lists for psychological services currently are in each health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Most psychological therapy treatment is undertaken on an out-patient basis. Data on waiting lists is only available at speciality level for in-patient and day case treatment. Information on waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant following a general practitioner referral is collected at speciality level only.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service has building insurance cover for HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited is responsible for insurance matters, as specified in the contract.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost of building insurance cover is for HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  This is a matter for Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what HM Treasury guidance the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has complied with, as referred to in paragraph 4 of the report by the Auditor General for Scotland in the SPS Annual Report and Accounts for 2000-01 which states that the SPS has "complied with HM Treasury guidance" in regard to HM Prison Kilmarnock, given the statement "that neither party is recognising HMP Kilmarnock as a property asset with both parties claiming to have transferred substantially all risk and rewards associated with ownership of the property asset to each other".

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Treasury Task Force, Private Finance, Technical Note (Revised).

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which accounts HM Prison Kilmarnock appears as a "property asset", given that paragraph 4 of the Auditor General for Scotland’s report in the Scottish Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts for 2000-01 states that the prison does not appear in the Scottish Prison Service’s accounts as a "property asset".

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The reversionary interest property asset value for HMP Kilmarnock is included in the 2000-01 accounts of the Scottish Prison Service.

Public Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are taking place with local authorities and bus operators in the areas covered by the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority regarding the introduction of free concessionary fares for pensioners on bus services from October 2002 and what progress is being made in such discussions.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has met with COSLA and many individual authorities to discuss the introduction of free local off-peak bus travel from October 2002, and there is an agreement in place to do so on a voluntary basis by enhancing existing concessionary travel schemes. In addition, the Executive established an Implementation Working Group, comprising representation from COSLA, ATCO, SPT and the bus industry, to take forward consideration of the many detailed issues associated with the introduction of these enhancements. It is for concessionary scheme managers to enter into detailed discussions with the bus industry at a local level in order to vary existing schemes to take account of these enhancements, and I understand that SPT as administrators of the joint Strathclyde scheme have begun such discussions.

Public Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the existing arrangements for concessionary fares on rail, underground and ferry services in the areas covered by the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority will continue to apply after October 2002 when the new concessionary scheme is due to be introduced.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has reached agreement with COSLA and the local authorities to enhance existing concessionary travel schemes from October 2002 so as to provide free local off-peak bus travel for elderly and disabled people. The Executive is encouraging local authorities to consider whether the principle of free travel should be extended to local ferries, to ensure that elderly and disabled island residents have access to their nearest administrative centres. However, final decisions on whether to extend this enhancement to other modes in the Strathclyde area are a matter for the Strathclyde Joint Concessionary Travel Scheme Committee.

Public Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the existing arrangements which allow pensioners to travel up to 10 miles at concessionary rates even where this involves crossing local authority boundaries in the areas covered by the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority will continue to apply after October 2002 when the new concessionary scheme is due to be introduced.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has reached agreement with COSLA and the local authorities to enhance existing concessionary travel schemes, from October 2002, so as to provide free local off-peak bus travel for elderly and disabled people. Eligible residents of the twelve authorities which comprise the Strathclyde Joint Concessionary Travel Scheme area will therefore be able to travel free of charge anywhere within that area on local bus services.

Public Transport

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fully fund the cost of bus travel for pensioners and those with special needs travelling off peak from October 2002.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has reached agreement with COSLA and the local authorities on a funding package to meet the cost of enhancing existing concessionary travel schemes to provide free local off-peak bus travel from October 2002.

Public Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve connections between Glasgow Queen Street rail station, Buchanan Street underground station, Glasgow Central rail station and Buchanan Street bus station.

Lewis Macdonald: The development of local transport initiatives, including proposals to improve connections between different modes of public transport, is a matter for the relevant local authority, or in this case, the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive. However, the Scottish Executive already contributes to the funding of a bus link between Glasgow Queen Street and Glasgow Central railway stations.

  In addition, the Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies are looking at ways to address, in the longer term, the problems of moving along the three transport corridors – A8, A80 and M74. This includes how best to facilitate public transport journeys across central Glasgow.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any projects identified for implementation on the A75 trunk road have been identified as being suitable for Trans-European Network funding and whether any application has been made for European funding in respect of any of these projects.

Lewis Macdonald: Recent guidance from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which co-ordinates UK TENs bids, indicates that a minimum grant threshold of €1 million is generally applied to TENs awards. Given that the EU may contribute no more than 10% of a scheme's investment cost, the total cost of a works project must usually be at least €10 million (£6.25 million) to be eligible. The Dunragit Bypass is the only scheme on the A75 likely to meet this threshold. However, development of this scheme is still at an early stage and we have not yet taken a view on whether to make an application for TENs support.

Roads

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer to the question S1W-23115 by Lewis Macdonald on 7 March 2002, whether his use of the word "prescribes" complies with the definition contained in the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.

Lewis Macdonald: The Invergarry - Kyle of Lochalsh Trunk Road (A87) Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Special Road Scheme 1992 was made under section 7 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, not the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. The Executive is satisfied that the scheme complies with the requirements of the 1984 act.

Scottish Executive Publications

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any occasions in each of the past 12 months when it has released a press statement on a publication or report without that material having been lodged and available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre beforehand or simultaneously, and what the reasons were in each case.

Mr Andy Kerr: As a rule we do not issue a press release on the publication of a report until the formal steps relating to publication have been taken, including lodging the publication in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. However, due to occasional difficulties experienced with regard to the number of copies available or with delivery to the Parliament Headquarters, we are aware that on occasion there has been a delay in the availability of the publications in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. Each is investigated at the time to establish what lessons can be learned to reduce the possibility of a similar situation occurring in the future, but we do not hold a central record of these occasions.

Teacher Training

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are being made to allow entry into the new Teacher Induction Scheme for those students who are undergoing teacher training in Scotland but whose fees paid are by non-Scottish agencies.

Nicol Stephen: The eligibility criteria for the Teacher Induction Scheme has been developed to include all those students studying in Scotland who are in publicly funded places.

Teacher Training

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes to the new Teacher Induction Scheme are planned to remove the barrier to access to the scheme for students at Scottish institutions who are funded by English education authorities but who wish to teach in Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: The eligibility criteria for the Teacher Induction Scheme has been developed to include all students studying in Scotland who are in publicly funded places.

  No barrier to access to the scheme exists for those students, studying at Scottish institutions, who are funded by English Education Authorities.

Teachers

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of the total number of teachers registered to teach in primary schools in each of the past ten years were (a) male and (b) female.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Executive. It is a matter for the General Teaching Council for Scotland. We have been informed that the information is not readily available from its records.

Waste Management

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect importing putrescible waste from Northern Ireland to south-west Scotland would have on landfill charge costs in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The level of the fee paid to a landfill operator for every tonne of waste disposed of at a site is a commercial decision for the operator of a landfill site. In Scotland and across the UK these gate charges are determined by supply and demand. Information on the effects of transfers of waste between different parts of the UK on charge levels is not held centrally.

Water Authorities

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the policy of each water authority is on sub-contracting.

Ross Finnie: Each of the three water authorities have adopted slightly different policies but central to each is the continued use of those contractors who have a proven track record of cost effective delivery for them. Each authority operates a reduced-size list of contractors, derived in accordance with European Community procurement regulations.

  The Scottish water authorities cannot dictate to main contractors which sub contractors to utilise. Main contractors will use cost effective, reliable sub contractors who have geographical proximity to the project.

Water Authorities

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of sub-contracts issued by each water authority have been awarded to Scottish companies, broken down by value of contract, in each of the last three years.

Ross Finnie: The water authorities subcontract a wide variety of services from construction to IT support to estate management. The detailed information requested is not held centrally. It is estimated, however, that in relation to the authorities’ capital programmes only, between 85 - 95% of the money paid out will remain in the Scottish economy, regardless of the nationality of the contractor’s base office.

  The following question was given a holding answer:

  S1W-24242